Glad to have a chaotic career

"We were the van kids--we hung out with the production crew more than the other bands," bassist Chris Sorenson said. "We're in the middle of the game now."

In the middle and rising. Backed by a rabid fan base that has helped its Capitol Records debut, "Saosin," sell 161,000 copies, the quintet is back on the Taste of Chaos tour as one of the brighter lights on the hard-core scene.

Not that Saosin has any delusions about getting "big."

"The term 'big' is misconceived nowadays, the way the music industry is things are just not as abundant," Sorenson said. "You have to be inventive and creative in the way you promote your music."

Making the album--which features the twin-guitar assault of Beau Burchell and Justin Shekoski, thunderous rhythms from Sorenson and drummer Alex Rodriguez and the vocals of Cove Reber--was a learning experience, since the band was working with top-drawer producer Howard Benson.

"There were a lot of stories going around," Sorenson said, "but I think things clicked in a healthy-conflict kind of way. He helped get us to that next step."